Board 2 decided the TCA Autumn Standard 2026. The champion wasn’t playing on it.
CM Mauro Sanroman had been held to draws in round 1 and round 3. So even after his final game, the title wasn’t his yet. It came down to how board 2 finished, and it finished his way.
Why we set a 1650 rating floor
Chess in Hong Kong is growing fast, and our strongest players need harder games to keep improving. So we only opened entry to players rated above 1650 FIDE. Every round, you face someone who can beat you.
Who turned up for the six rounds:
- 28 players
- 13 of Hong Kong’s top 100
- Some of the best young players from nearby Shenzhen
- 60 minutes each, plus 30 seconds added after every move
Champion: CM Mauro Sanroman
Mauro came in as top seed, and he’s one of our own TCA coaches. Two draws is not the clean run a top seed hopes for. He was still the only player to finish above Guoyu.
Second: Guoyu Zhou
Guoyu is 12. He didn’t lose a single game.
That result takes him past 2000, a mark plenty of adult players never reach, and he is still climbing. Earlier this summer he upset GM Indjic in the Chinese Chess League.
Third: CM Chan Wang Ip Boris
Boris is Hong Kong’s number 13, and he played like it. His only loss all weekend was to Guoyu.
What the TCA Autumn Standard 2026 taught us
- Over six rounds, two draws can wipe out your whole margin. Mauro still won, but only because a game he had no part in went his way.
- Juniors improve faster than their ratings can keep up. Guoyu arrived rated under 2000 and finished ahead of a CM. If you’re paired with a junior, don’t trust the number next to their name.
- Going unbeaten won’t always win you the event. Guoyu never lost and still finished second.
Can anyone beat Guoyu?
If he comes back for the next one, he’ll be rated over 2000, and nobody in this field managed to beat him. Rated above 1650 and think you can? Keep an eye on our upcoming FIDE rated chess tournaments in Hong Kong.
Upcoming events
- Mid-term Camps 2026 run until 30 October. Seven camps, including The Chess Academy for ages 4 to 17, led by FIDE coaches.
- 3rd Annual Hong Kong Girls & Women’s Chess Tournament 2026, Sunday 25 October, 10am to 5pm. All ages and levels welcome. Entry is HK$150, or half price for TCA RTM students, and pizza and drinks are included.
- TCA Novice Tournament 2026, 1pm to 6pm. U7 and U9 play on Sunday 8 November (register by 6 November). U11 and U18 play on Sunday 15 November (register by 13 November). 7 rounds, 10 minutes plus 5 seconds a move. Entry is HK$300, or half price for TCA RTM students.
Both tournaments are at ActiveKids Learning Center, Kennedy Town.